I’ve been without a certain major appliance in my home for over a year. With four children and a newborn baby, some might consider this appliance a necessity. But I think I’ve handled its non-presence pretty well. Can you guess what it is?
It’s a clothes dryer. A top-notch washing machine I’ve got. Thank goodness with all the cloth diapers that are washed around here. But it’s mate—a very nice dryer we purchased five years ago—had to be sold to someone else because it runs off gas power and our wonderful home in the woods here only has electric power.
Compared to the summer before last when I was washing and drying the clothes by hand because there were not enough quarters for the machines at the laundromat, just having a washing machine in my home again was heaven. I haven’t even missed having a dryer. Hanging up clothes is better for them anyway and the savings of electricity was a benefit by not running another energy-guzzling appliance.
I often have clothes hung up all over the house. With diapers to wash and towels and bedding and clothes for seven people, I run out of space in the laundry room frequently. The chairs around the dining room table get used as a hanging up place as well as the crib and the doors and the ironing board and wherever else I can think of!
But now…thanks to some generous friends of ours who moved away and had an extra, we are the owners of an electric dryer! I used it this morning for the first time on a load of cloth diapers. How exciting it was to turn the knob and select the appropriate setting again. Permanent press, no! Knit/delicates, no! I need high heat for these little rags. Timed heat, yes! 50 minutes later I heard the familiar BUZZZZZZZ of the dryer that I haven’t heard for so long.
As I pulled the warm, dry diapers from the machine I marveled at their softness. My diapers haven’t been this soft for a looong time. How exciting it will be to dry my towels! I’ve had stiff towels for just as long and feel embarrassed when I offer them to my guests.
It took me less than five minutes to pull them out of the dryer, fold them and put them away. What used to take 20 minutes will now only take 5. Multiply this times at least 10 loads/week and I’m going to be saving a lot of time! What will I do with myself?!
I might just sit and wait to hear that familiar BUZZZZZZZ that sounds so lovely in my ears!
6 comments:
OH WOW! You are amazing! There is something very satisfying about proving to yourself that you can go without stuff like that. But it is oh, so nice when you don't have to!
I love to think of you in the woods with your cloth diapers hanging everywhere.
Aren't you glad your life seems so romantic to me?
I had four kids, the youngest was two and a half, when I got my first dryer. I also still love hanging clothes, but those towels are so much nicer in the dryer. So glad you will have extra time. Maybe you can blog more! (I love reading your entries.)
Yes, Sarah, there are aspects of our life out here in the country that are rustic like that. Today when I couldn't get the wood in the wood stove to burn, however, and the house was 58 degrees all morning and then up to a whoppin' 59 all afternoon I wasn't feeling like my life was so romantic. I was just COLD!!! The cuts on my hand from gathering wood myself today aren't romantic either!
Hip, hip, hooray for soft diapers and towels!
Our dishwasher is on its last leg--we may have to go dishwasher-free here pretty soon.
That will be a bummer.
Anaise, I've heard lots of great things about not having a dishwasher, especially when you have all those kids to do it.
But going without a dryer? That sounds insane. Glad you have one. You sound happy about it :-)
Rhyetta, you never fail to amaze me. No complaints, just take it as it is. I sure do miss you!! I'm so glad that you have a drier now, I can't imagine going without one, I guess because I haven't had to. I love your blog!
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